Rigid element.



' o. R. HARRIS. RIGID ELEMENT." APPLIQATION FILED JAN.17, 1912.

-Patented-Apr. 14, 1914.

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CHARLES R. HARRIS, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WORTHING-TON HOYT, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

RIGID ELEMENT.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 14, ieia.

Application filed January 1.7, 1912. Serial No. 671,676.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Cnannrs R. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, resident of Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, and State of California, have invented a new and useful improvement in Rigid Elements, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention relates to a rigid element and more particularly to one in which the structural characteristics have been determined in consonance with the Method of imparting rigidity to metal blanks, shown described and claimed in my co-pending application filed January 1'7, 1912, Serial No. 671,675.

The primary object is to provide an element possessing great rigidity in proportion to the mass of material embodied.

A further object is the origination of an element which will be simple and economical of manufacture.

Still another object is the provision of an article of such ornamental attractiveness as will warrant its application to manifold adaptions in related arts.

The inventive conception is embodied in means which are hereinafter explained and variously combined in the claims, while the annexed drawing and particular description thereof together set forth in detail several means constituting my invention, the dis closed means however, being but some of the various mechanical forms in which the principle of my invention may be applied.

Figure 1 is an elevation of a rigid element embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation of a modification. Fig. 4: is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 5 is an elevation similar to that shown in Fig. 1 of a second modification. Fig. 6 is a section of the same. Fig. 7 is a similar elevation of a third modification. Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the same.

The structure comprises by preference the hollow tapered member A. represented in Fig. 1. It is formed from a single helically wound strip such as would be produced by winding the blank about a tapered core or mandrel. The longitudinal exterior section as represented in Fig. 2 discloses a channel or U shaped formation having edge flanges a and (1. pro ectmg substantlally perpendicular to the imaginary axis. As will be readily understood, if not fairly implied in view of the preceding, the angle and extent of projection of the flanges might be infinitely varied with respect both to the bottom and each other. From a further inspection specifically of the views represented in Figs.

1 and 2,. it will be noted that the formation is in fact one of helical character in which no part of the material is however intersected by the imaginary axis.

Mention should be made of the continuous access which is afforded to the interior surface of the hollow rigid element, through its helieally extending opening a situated between the flanges a and a By reason of this circumstance the painting or otherwise coating of every portion of such surface is made possible. This feature is furthermore of obvious advantage in case a rigid element embodying my invention, when made to taper upwardly as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, is particularly adapted to serve as a reinforcing core for concrete columns or as an exposed pole, pillar or fencepost as the case might be. During its application as a core for concrete columns, the indurating material would likewise with certainty reach and set integrally against every portion of the interior surface and so constitute a more intimately compact and interlocked mass.

Referring now in numerical order to the modifications to which cursory attention has been earlier directed, it will be readily apparent that the modification to which Figs. 3 and 4 are drawn resides in a slight complication, by reason merely of the addition of the corrugation (6 thereby having the main flute which extends between the flanges a a divided. This form is furthermore of strictly spiral form, as would be accomplished by winding about a cylindrical core and involves quite arbitrarily two substantially equisized flutes each designated as a A plurality of either similar or different corrugations might be adopted. Consonately the flutes a continuing on each side of the corrugations a while shown to be similar may, if desired and in full consistence with the spirit of my conception, be dissimi lar as regards either their depth or their width or both as should be readily understood. The relatively depressed portion between the flanges a a may moreover in its entirety be patentably considered as a single flute having a spirally extending central projection. So too, the extent of advance of the spiral for each convolution, may be varied at will, whereby the longitudinal spacing in the case for example of single median corrugations will vary directly as the actual extent of such advance. Continuing it will be noted that Figs. 5 and 6 are based upon a modification in which the flanges a and a project in substantially opposite directions, and hence transversely respectively in an inward and outward direction. Finally the third modification as disclosed respectively in elevation and section in Figs. 7 and 8, has both the corrugation a and the edge flanges a and a projecting inwardly.

Having fully described my invention, what- I claim is 1. As a new article of manufacture, a hollow coiled element comprising a plurality of advancing convolutions and a continuous direct lateral opening interposed therebetween, one edge of each convolution being bent at an angle and projecting outwardly.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a hollow coiled element comprising a plurality of advancing convolutions and a continuous direct lateral opening interposed therebetween, said convolutions having angular edges substantially perpendicular to the imaginary axis.

3. As a new article of manufacture, an in.- tegral member of coiled formation, the convolutions of said member forming together a palr of flutes and an opening alternately arranged, each such convolution having a laterally projecting edge surface perpendicular to the imaginary axis.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a hollow coiled element comprising a plurality of convolutions progressively converging relative to the imaginary axis, and a direct lateral opening extending therebetween; each such convolution being formed with parallel flute-sections, and having outwardly projecting edges interposed between said opening and different of said parallel flute-sec- 0 tions.

5. As a new article. of manufacture, a hollow integral member of coiled formation, said member having an alternately arranged helically extending surface opening and flute, said flute bottom having an outward projection.

6. As a new article of manufacture, the integral member of coiled formation, the

convolntions of said member forming tosubstantially parallel with the planes of,

said flutes.

Signed by me, this 12th day of Jan, 1912.

CHARLES R. HARRIS.

Attested by A. A. CoPnLEY, NILES C. BATEMAN.

Copies of this patent ma; be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D, O. 

